Tuesday, December 16, 2008

We may have a northern owl irruption here

The Hermit: Guess what I saw today?

Me: Umm, what?

The Hermit: I saw a flock of about twenty turkeys, about a mile from home. And guess what else?

Me: Oh please, don't tell me you saw a snowy owl. (I would have had homicidal thoughts)

The Hermit: No, I saw THREE great gray owls! They were being mobbed by crows.

Me: (trying to cover up for even more intense homicidal thoughts) No, really? Where?

The Hermit: Between Bruno and Willow River (on County Road 43 in Pine County).

Me: Grrr...(insanely jealous, but overjoyed)

I don't question his ID; he and I saw plenty of them together during the Great Irruption of '05, so he obviously knows his owls.

And, looking at the Minnesota Ornithologist's Union website, I am confused. I no longer know how to post sightings to the listserv. Help, anyone?

Of course this means the Pine County Christmas Bird Count, less than two weeks from today, could be interesting.

9 comments:

Lynne at Hasty Brook said...

I can't figure out the MOU listserv any more either. I would email Mike Hendrickson and ask him. He's posting sightings on his blog too. I'm envious too.

I gotta get UP THERE!!

Deb said...

Lynne- you probably caught me while I was editing this post to increase the humor content. Read it again!

Lynne at Hasty Brook said...

LOL! I would have had homicidal thoughts too!

RuthieJ said...

I've been watching Mike's blog too for updated sightings on all 3 winter owls. I thought I saw a snowy in the neighbor's back yard last Saturday, but once I got the binocs out, it turned out to be (sigh) a white plastic bag.

R.Powers said...

Seagull irruption here. Video today.

Rurality said...

I know the feeling. A bird bander keeps posting to the AL birds list about all the saw-whet owls they're catching in his backyard. It's not that far from here, so I'm sure they're all around, winging silently over our roof at night at snickering.

Rurality said...

"AND snickering." Geez I can't type any more.

Deb said...

RuthieJ- Those darn bags have fooled me more than once.

FC- Your post, and your response to my comment, made my day.

Rurality- Isn't that the truth? I mean, I'm sure there are legions of great gray owls flying around now, and it's just a matter of pure luck who happens to see them. I have to drive that road where the owls were tomorrow, unfortunately after dark.

Unknown said...

That's the problem with list serves and wet site overload. I can't remember what my password is to half of them.